"Here JaeEun. It says that you should go right now. Take your stuff, I don't know if you'll be coming back or not." My Physics teacher says, handing me a get-out-of-jail pass calling me to the office. I nodded and got up, taking my stuff.

 

It's been 3 days since the whole police incident. It's been 2 days since TaeHyung kissed me. I saw him yesterday, but it was during passing period. He smiled at me and I blushed and quickly walked into Pre-Cal.

 

I reach the office and I asked if they called me up. The front desk lady took my slip and went "Ah yes, go into that door to the left."

 

I walked into the little office and read the name-tag sitting on the desk. Officer, Choi JiHoon. What am I doing here in the school's police office?

 

"Oh! JaeEun, right?" He asks. I nodded my head and took a seat before he offered.

 

"I'm guessing you know why you're in here. The city police came up to me here and told me what happened a few days ago. Your mother told them what school you went to and who you hang out with. Yesterday, I called up your two friends to ask if they've noticed anything going on with you. One said she knew, and the other seemed confused. Your father mentioned a boy but we didn't get a name." He goes. "Anyways, today I wanted to talk to you to ask if what was going on is true. Is it true, about the abuse?"

 

I didn't say anything. How do you even talk to the cops?

 

"Miss JaeEun, all you have to do is agree or disagree. It will make this go by fast." He says, sighing.

 

"Is it true what the police told me? That you are being abused at home?"

 

I just sat there, but he found out how to get the answer out of me.

 

"May I ask why your cheeks are bruised?" He adds. I look down and start to play with my thumbs.

 

"It's true." I softly say. I hear him sigh.

 

"How long has this been going on for?" He asks. I shrug.

 

"Too long."

 

"Has it ever been to the case where you had to end up in the hospital?" He asks. Are there really families out there, parents who beat their child so hard that they end up in the hospital? What does the parents tell their doctors? I wonder what lies they used. I shake my head.

 

"What happened the night the cops came over to your house?" He continues.

 

"I stayed silent. Went back in the house. And got beaten again." I answered quietly. He has good hearing.

 

"Who beat you? Your mom or your dad?"

 

"Dad." I quickly say. He nods and starts to write something down on a piece of paper.

 

"Is there a lock on your door?" He asks. I nod and he continues writing.

 

"Is your dad home most of the time?" He continues.

 

"Yes. He goes to work when I'm at school and comes back about half an hour when school is over." I answer. He writes.

 

"Does your dad drink?"

 

"Yes. Not everyday, but he does." I answer. He writes again.

 

"How does your mom treat you at home?"

 

"She protects me sometimes. But most of the time, there's nothing. When my dad's not home, it's like if she's a single mother. She acts normal." I say, and I feel like I said too much. What are they going to do now that I confessed? I'm scared honestly.

 

He finished asking questions minutes later and excused me back to class, but I don't go. My physics teacher told me to take my stuff because I probably won't come back, so I'm not going back. I sit at a bench.

 

Then I remembered. 6th period. TaeHyung has a free period. I take out my phone and go to my contacts. He's just saved as boring, TaeHyung. I text him.

 

Me: "Hey! I'm bored."

 

He replies one minute later.

 

TaeHyung: "Pay attention in class."

 

Me: "But I'm not in class."

 

TaeHyung: "Are you skipping again?"

 

Me: "No. I'm excused out. I'm just sitting in the quad."

 

I felt my cheeks burning. This is the first time talking to him again since he came to my house. It's just two days but, I like talking to him. Alright, I like him.

 

TaeHyung: "You're lucky I didn't walk out the front gates yet. I'm coming."

 

My smile grew bigger. I turned my body on the bench and lifted up my feet on it. I brought my knees close to my chest and I hugged them. A few seconds later, TaeHyung found me.

 

"Why are you excused out?" He asks, sitting down next to me.

 

"The office called me up. My teacher told me to just take my stuff because she thought I wouldn't come back so, I'm gonna let her think I'm taking long in there." I say, chuckling.

 

"What did the office want?" He asks. I look down at my knees, still hugging them close to my chest.

 

"The city police told them about what happened that night. The school police kept asking me questions and..." I sighed. "I told them."

 

I looked up at him and his face showed a surprised expression. I almost chuckled because it looked cute.

 

"And what happened?" He asks. I shrugged.

 

"He just told me to go back to class. He called up JiHye and ChaeMin and asked them about me. He was suppose to call you up but he didn't know your name." I say chuckling.

 

"Me?" He goes. I nod.

 

"My father mentioned you for I don't know what reason. So the cop was going to ask you questions but he didn't get what your name was." I answer. Then, the bell rang.

 

TaeHyung stood up from the bench and waited for me to get up. As soon as I stood up, MinKyu came over.

 

"Hey! TaeHyung!" He shouts, completely ignoring me. "So winter break starts in about 3 days. Your birthday is coming up soon, you're going to be 18! We should totally throw a party at my place."

 

TaeHyung slightly chuckles and shrugs.

 

"I don't know. I have my sister." He says. MinKyu groans.

 

"Come on man! This will be the last high school birthday party you'll ever have!"

 

"Also my first." TaeHyung states.

 

"More reason to have one!" MinKyu says.

 

"I'll have to see with my mom first, if it's alright."

 

MinKyu scoffs and chuckles, not believing what he's hearing.

 

"Your mom? You're 18 dude. You don't need your mother's permission for a birthday party. Especially, if it's being held at my house."

 

TaeHyung shrugs.

 

"I'll think about it." TaeHyung says. MinKyu groans again and rolls his eyes.

 

"Fine. Call me when you have a definite answer then." He says. He looks at me and scoffs. He then walked away, pushing me hard with his shoulder. I fell back onto the bench.

 

"MinKyu, come on!" TaeHyung shouts at him. He shakes his head and helps me stand back up. "Sorry."

 

I shake my head. He smiles and then holds out his hand. I just look at him.

 

"I'll walk you home today." He says with that cute rectangle smile. I chuckle and took his hand.

 

 

 

We reached the street of my house and TaeHyung stops walking at the house next to mine. I look at him.

 

"I've learned my lesson from last time. I'm going to stop walking here." He says. I laugh at him and he chuckles.

 

"How long have we known each other?" He asks me. I raise my eyebrow.

 

"I think about a month now, why?" I say. He just shakes his head and lets go of my hand. He looks off into the distance and does some type of chuckle.

 

"JaeEun." He starts. "It's about a month since we first met. It's been about 3 weeks since we actually became friends, and it feels like I've known you for more than that."

 

I look up at him, confused at what he's trying to say.

 

"And out of every friend that I've ever had, even MinKyu, you're the most understanding and the most sweetest friend I have ever met. I mean I trusted you with my mom story about 4 weeks into meeting you. I've known MinKyu since we were kids and I still can't tell him. I don't think he'd get it as much as you do. It's probably because you're dealing with something similar but talking to you, I feel like I'm not alone. That someone out there is going through the same thing. But when I see you and how you're dealing with this, I feel like I can deal with mine." He scoffs. "For goodness sakes, you're getting beaten. I'm just being called things that hurt me."

 

"Hey." I say. "Mental abuse is the same as physical abuse. Just because you don't have bruises on your body doesn't mean you don't have bruises in your brain or heart. Okay? Your problem is the same with mine." He smiles.

 

"This is exactly why I like you." He says. I look up at him and my heart starts to race. I can feel my cheeks burning up and I don't know how to respond to that.

 

"JaeEun..." He starts off. "Would you like to be my girlfriend? Would you like the idea of a denim jeans and sweater girl, and a semi-popular dude with good taste in clothes dating each other?"

 

I couldn't help but laugh. He laughed with me and then reaches his hand out towards my face, removing the extra hair hanging in front of it. I look at him and he looks at me, putting his hand on my cheek. At least it doesn't hurt as much now.

 

"That sounds great." I tell him. He focuses his attention on my whole face besides just my cheek when I said that. His face lights up like a christmas tree and I chuckled.

 

He then pulls me in for a hug, hugging me softly. I hugged him tight, trying to show him that I'm not in that much pain anymore and he gets the hint. His hug slowly became tighter and I didn't want to leave his arms.

 

I know it's a huge risk for me to date him, especially since I know my dad hates him after what happened, but I'm 18. I'm going to graduate in a few months. I'll be free soon. I can deal with this for a few months. TaeHyung kisses my forehead.

 

I look up at his face and his face turns his attention behind me. I turn my head and see a cop car pull up in front of my house. There's only one cop and a lady with a business skirt and blazer. I'm guessing social worker, she looks like what I imagine a social worker would look like.

 

"Oh my gosh." I say. I look at TaeHyung and pull away from the hug.

 

"I have to go." I say. "See you tomorrow."

 

I didn't wait for him to say goodbye. I quickly ran towards my house and ended up right behind the two. They turned around as I pushed through them to open the door myself with my keys.

 

"Are you JaeEun?" The lady asks. I just nod my head and finally open the door. We all walk in and my dad is sitting on the couch. He turns his head towards us and has a puzzled look on his face.

 

I quickly walked to the kitchen and searched the fridge as I listened to the lady speak to my father.

 

"Hey. I'm a social service worker and we're here to investigate how your daughter, JaeEun, is dealing here at home." She says.

 

"Why is there a need for this?" My father asks.

 

"Well, you were interrogated by officers a few days ago, is that right?" The cop asks. It's silent but I assume that my dad nodded.

 

"The school called the police office giving us details. The officers who interrogated you decided to tell the school officer. JaeEun was interviewed along with two of her other friends. We have the confidential interview and what has been said. We just need to hear something from you, your wife, and possibly JaeEun again if we feel the need to." He cop continued.

 

"Is your wife home?" The social worker asks.

 

"No. She went out for groceries." My dad answers.

 

"Well, I guess we'll have to ask you questions alone then." The cop says. "Come outside with us sir."

 

I hear the front door open, and then close. I walk out of the kitchen and towards the front door. It's really happening. It's close to the part where life decides whether I'm saved, or I'm screwed.